Welland’s present day primary school on Marlbank Road was opened in 1876 as a board school with room for 120 children. It replaced the National School in Welland Court Lane and was designed by John West Hugall, also responsible for St James Church. The original school buildings included a house for the headteacher.

Board schools were a result of the 1870 Education Act, which allowed locally elected boards of officials to build and manage schools where they were needed, funded from the local rates.

Welland village hall, next door to the school, provided extra classroom space and dining facilities for the children during the mid-20th century.

Originally the school faced directly onto the road (now the A4104) but alterations to the crossroads in the 1970s diverted the road away from the village hall and school to give them some protection from traffic (see map).

Photo: Peter Roberts. Welland School c1910